Sweden Exposure
by Minako25
Summary: A Blanket Scenario fic taking place after the TDWT episode Sweden Sour. It cleans up some relationship loose ends.
1. Chapter 1

Sweden Exposure - A Total Drama Fanfic part 1

"And just where do you think you're going?" a snippy mezzo-soprano voice resounded from within the rusted jumbo jet. Dark chocolate eyes glared daggers across the white and blue tundra before her, focusing on a young man trudging away from the plane.

Said young man's hands resided deeply within blue jean pockets, his form hunched over slightly to bear the cold. He made no indication of heeding her call, only that he paused for a moment before continuing across Sweden's winter landscape. Frustrated by his silence, Courtney slide down from the door of the plane onto the snowy ground below. She'd been spying on Duncan, a plain brown blanket wrapped around her shoulders to shield herself against the cold of "second class accommodations".

The contestants had flown to Sweden to compete in a game of capture the flag on the a frozen lake. At the end of the challenge, Team Chris had defended their place as champions leaving Team Amazon in the hot seat again. However before they could return to the skies for the elimination ceremony, Chef announced some grave news, in the form of a fuel line busting.

The news wasn't happy, and Chris was adamantly "unhappy" about it. The show didn't really have it in the budget to fix the plane, and thus would result in a patch up job, rather than a real repair. For the contestants, it was just a delay of the inevitable, and an extra night in this winter wonderland. The boys fortunately had the luxury of first class to celebrate their victory and enjoy themselves. The girls plus Cody, were meanwhile stuck uncomfortably in economy class, which was even more uncomfortable with the dropping temperature.

So, with the coziness of first class, the night closing in and the temperature plummeting, Courtney couldn't fathom why Duncan would leave the plane. At first the bronze teen stalked him from a bay window, watching him stretch as he breathed in the cold air. Than after looking around, the delinquent teen began to march along the shores of the lake. Her brain told her he was up to something so she moved to the door he'd just exited to watch him more, thinking maybe he'd turn back soon. When that didn't seem likely, Courtney decided to call him out and find out what mischief he was up to.

Her wedge sandaled feet crunched loudly and swiftly across the snow as she hurried after the Mohawk styled teen. Thankfully Duncan's pace was leisurely enough for her to catch up but stay a good 6 feet behind him.

"Where are you going?" she nagged, unable to rouse his attention, even though she knew he heard her. "Chris told us to stay with the plane."

"So," His voice coldly replied, "go back to the plane."

Courtney closed the gap, "If we're not with that plane, he'll leave without us."

"Fine. If you're so worried, go back."

Blue eyes forward and brow knitted tightly, Duncan continued his trek along the frozen lake. Behind him, his stalker had paused to tug her blanket more tightly around her shoulders. Courtney's brow creased deeply as she glared at his backside. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest, partially in anger, part in part in excursion but mostly in longing.

The sky was starting to turn a lovely hue of lilac layered with pale yellows and blue, and as breathtaking as it should have been, it only meant the light was leaving. The signs of civilization were sparse up ahead, there was really no where to go in this little frozen region. Her pig-headed-ex still made no indication of turning back, and with a heavy sigh steaming from her lips, Courtney chose to continue her pursuit.

Glancing at the horizon, Duncan saw that night was steadily approaching overhead and knew that soon it would become impossibly dark out here. The snow shifted as he walked, covering his red converse sneakers in a fluffy white crystals. His sharp blue eyes closed as he contemplated turning back before it got too dark. He'd just planned to go outside for some air, take in the scenery since they were stranded, and he doubted he'd ever be in Sweden again. That's when she'd come out of the plane and in that grating tone of hers, questioned him like a nagging guardian. Duncan's whole body tensed like an irate cats' at the sound and he chose to widen the space. A bitter anger welled up inside of him as he heard her come down from the plane and follow.

Frustrated as he was, he realized starting a fight with her would only draw out the time he had to spend with her. Duncan tried to play it as nonchalantly as he could, in the hopes to deject her with apathy. It wasn't working.

That's why the casually dressed man had continued along the banks of the lake in hopes that eventually she'd tire of the chase and give him the peace he so desired. Courtney, he should have remembered, was a persistent one and the only thing he was getting, was cold. Colorful uses of the English language ran through his head, mostly cursing Chris Mclean and his lack of responsibility into getting them coats they all desperately needed. That over-puffed host was more than irresponsible, stingy, arrogant and chauvinistic, he was a downright sadistic fucking prick. What he wouldn't give to put that overrated host through some of the shit they'd been through on this show, he smirked.

So lost in his own musing Duncan had almost forgotten about his shadow, until she brushed up besides him with such ferocity that he removed his hands from his pockets just for balance. Courtney passed him with her nose proudly in the air, carrying her worn blanket like a royal cape off her back. Her soft tresses flowed daintily in the cold air as she hurried steadily past him and for a moment, he was speechless. That moment quickly morphed into anger when he'd remembered that she'd shoved her shoulder into him and was strutting like a pompous peacock.

"What the hell?" he spurted, "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"I'm just going out for a walk. Got a problem with that?"

Courtney glanced back with a smug smile that boiled Duncan's blood. His armed tightened firmly across his chest, a look of death in his eyes, "I'm the one taking a walk here!"

"Oh, I didn't know this was your lake to walk on now. Looks like anyone can walk on it." she shot sarcastically, whirling around proudly to continue on ahead. Her expression quickly dropped now that he couldn't see, realizing just how far away they'd already traveled. There was only a sliver of daylight remaining in the sky which she estimated meant only about 10 minutes left of sunlight. Stars where already crowding the sky and the three quarter moon softly illuminated the snow at her feet. Sincerely she thought about telling him they should really head back, she was cold, and he was undoubtedly freezing now. Unfortunately that proud stubbornness caught her tongue and instead the bronze skinned Courtney pushed onwards.

It was Duncan's turn to follow her now, seeing the challenge in her actions and not about to back down. She'd ruined his solitude, she'd fouled his already sour mood and he was going to give her a piece of his mind. His sneakers stomped angrily in the powdery white crystals as he silently pursued his quarry. Her steps were brisk almost to a near run as she moved down the banks of snow to walk on the smoother shores of the lake. Duncan didn't break stride as he slide artfully down the bank to catch her, his anger increasing with every step. Courtney's heart crept up her throat when she felt his approach and the rage radiating from his aura. Something inside her told her to run, but the option was quickly eliminated when he gripped her shoulder to force her back around. Defiant brown eyes met equally defiant blue eyes.  
>"I have had about all I can fucking stand of you!" Duncan shouted, inches from her face.<p>

"Me? What about you?"

"All I did was go outside and you're on me like flies on shit!" the green-haired man heedlessly continued over Courtney's own defense. Not about to be out down, she raised her own voice to be heard over his baritone, "It's your own fault cheating bastard!"

"You're such a whiny nagging bitch it's no wonder I tolerated you for so long…"

"Who knows who you were sneaking off to see…"

"…getting into everyone else's shit!" Duncan's voice continued to roar as he aggressively paced across the snow.

"…some blonde Swedish bimbo!" Courtney continued to rant, only hearing every other word Duncan was actually shouting. Not like he heard much of what she actually was shouting either, caught in his own rage. Months of true unspoken anger, frustration and hurt echoed across the frozen lake. Their voices continued to escalate, unfortunately blocking out all other sounds around them.

"…some high and mighty princess prancing around like her shit don't stink…"

"…dirty delinquent with a one way ticket to life as someone's bitch…"

"…all over Alejandro like a whore…"

CRACK! The sound of flesh striking flesh resonated through the night air and instantly the frozen lake was silent. Courtney breathed heavily, her hand trembling violently at the end of her outstretched arm. The blanket she'd donned had fallen from her shoulders, but she couldn't feel the cold, only the stinging in her hand.

Duncan stood straight and still, eyes shut tight, head turned to the side, his cheek shinning red. Furious, Courtney felt her insides twist horribly as she glared at his unmoving figure, no longer angered, not even hurt, he almost looked serene. She found herself at a loose for words, and he had nothing to say to her. It was only when the first of many flecks of snow touched her cheek, did she straighten her own stance. Courtney's mind, heart and eyes burned fiercely, but she refused to cry, instead choosing to croak barely above a whisper, "I hate you."

Scooping up her fallen blanket Courtney hurried heavily back to the snowy banks to retrace her steps through the darkness. The loud pounding of her newly forming headache was deafening, muting all other sounds around her.

The world around Duncan was muted as well, mostly because of the slap, but the outside world was dark and dead to him as well. He only saw Courtney's retreating form and once she'd started to climb back up the snow bank, he figured he too needed to head back to the plane. His first footstep was heavy and crunched loudly beneath him. The second footstep crunched even more loudly and the third was accompanied by a wet sloshing. That's when the world came screaming to him full force and the continued sounds of crunching, sloshing and cracking filled his being with fear.

The sound reached Courtney's ears loud and clear as well as she turned back to the lake and horror dawned on her that they'd been fighting on treacherous ground. Her eyes widened, taking in every sight and sound in high definition, even the horrified face of her companion. Cautiously he slide a foot forward, attempting to not aggravate the situation anymore. He growled as he perceived Courtney returning to his side, only making things worst. However she stopped at the bass of the bank, her mind calming her instincts and preparing to coax him back to safety. Those instructions never came when the ice finally lost it's strength and dropped Duncan like a rock into the icy waters.


	2. Chapter 2

Sweden Exposure - A Total Drama Fanfic part 2

"DUNCAN!" Courtney cried out as she hastened towards the edge of the shattered ice. Falling on hands and knees, she crawled carefully but quickly to the black abyss of water. Desperately she searched with bated breath for any sign of the teen that had just plummeted into the inky darkness. The mere seconds that passed seemed like an eternity, her mind in turmoil over her next move.

Bracing herself, Courtney plunged her right hand into the freezing water, desperately feeling for his form. The cold shock set her nerves afire, but she refused to withdraw until she'd found him. Hot tears rained down her face as she whispered "come on," like a mantra of encouragement for herself as well as him. In the next moment, her efforts were finally rewarded as Duncan bypassed her hand and surfaced on his own. He coughed and gasped violently as Courtney immediately latched onto his shirt with one hand and reached under his armpit with her other. Shimming backwards, she managed to drag herself and her soaked cast mate back onto the solid snow covered bank.

Apologies and his namesake poured from the girl's mouth, but Duncan could barely acknowledged her words. His senses were overwhelmed with the feeling of thousands of tiny daggers of ice stabbing his flesh and insides. His chest ached with every breath, causing violent coughing and sputtering with every attempt to fill his lungs. Instinct was the only thing that allowed him to help Courtney to pull them back to shore.

Satisfied that they were on solid terra, Courtney held tight to Duncan's broad form, watching him shiver uncontrollably. She rubbed his backside, feeling the cotton material already stiffening from the frozen ice crystals forming. The C.I.T. (in training) wanted to instruct him that they needed to get back to the plane quickly, but it was clear that was his plane as he crawled away towards the higher ground they'd started on.

Needing all the support he could get, Courtney did her best to guide him up the path, placing the dull blanket she'd toted along over his shoulders. Rationality was not with the teen though as he irritably shrugged the cloth away and continued to claw his way up the bank. He heard her audibly scoff at his reaction, but he didn't want to hear it. Blaming Courtney for his current condition, for his suffering, for this whole fiasco felt the most reasonable to him. Despite his best efforts to shake her the entire night, she once again closed in on him, her slender arm rounding his back to steady his shaking stance.

"Let me help you," she softly pleaded with a hint of annoyance.

"Fine," he chattered, his resolve to break away fading, "'m fine."

"No, you're not idiot. You're getting hypothermia."

"Just c-c-cold."

"Who's the C.I.T. here?"

Snow began to falling steadily overhead, moonlight only faintly illuminating the immediate area. The safety of Chris jumbo jet was a good ways away, but it could have been 100 kilometers with how beaten and tired they felt. Courtney did her best to suppress it, but she was shivering too, wet from laying on the snow and from fishing out Duncan. Her legs and arms grew numb and they progress they made seemed closer to a snail's crawl. The delinquent ex was steadily becoming dead weight, his entire body numb from head to toe. Somehow he again reasoned Courtney was to blame for their slowness and once again pushed away to trudge forward alone. Any verbal protest from the C.I.T. were promptly ignored or just simply unheard.

Duncan wheezed like an asthmatic, heavily from his mouth and choked every time he attempted to stifle a cough. The path ahead was so annoyingly dark, speckled with white, making it even harder to focus his vision. His confused feet kept guiding him to the left, towards the forest along the river. The trees were a welcome sight, something for him to grip onto that was solid and didn't move around so much. For a brief moment he'd wondered where Courtney had gotten off too, but didn't have the state of mind to care. He needed to rest a moment.

Courtney somberly trailed after her shivering companion, needing to guide him the right way, but hesitant to touch him. They were veering off the wrong way, deeper into the forest and deeper into trouble. Courtney kicked herself for not being more observant the entire evening, instead of watching Duncan's backside. Her inner bossiness was screaming out commands, but chattering teeth were having trouble finding their voice. It wasn't until Duncan slide down against a tree he was supporting that she found said voice.

"Duncan," he flinched at the sound of her voice. He just needed a moment to catch his breath, coughing lightly as he did so. Her slender hands entwined around his arms as she strained to hoist him back up, "Gotta keep movin'. Stay with me buddy."

He snorted lowly at her remark as she slung his arm over her shoulder. Buddy? That was a new one amid the myriad of insults he was accustom to. It finally occurred to him that she was genuinely worried about him, but than again it made sense. He wanted to reply with a snarky comment, but nothing came. Instead he opted to stare at the ground as he shuffled his sneakers.

"Y'know, you're really not helping me here," she frowned as she attempted to adjust his lump of a body over her shoulder. It came out more scolding than she'd intended, but now wasn't the time to try to apologize. "Gwen would never forgive me if I let your butt freeze to death."

"Gwen," Duncan softly murmured, hugging her shoulder a little tighter. Jealously and confusion conflicted in both their minds. Courtney couldn't understand why she'd brought Gwen up at a time like this, in such a way. Duncan was more confused because Courtney was there instead of Gwen, and in his mind, it should have been different. Still, his whole being felt warm and content being near her, despite the cold. That was the moment his knees decided to give out and he slumped to the ground, practically dragging Courtney down with him.

"Duncan," she tugged and pulled at him to stand again, but the big oaf just wouldn't budge, "Get up. Stand up now!"

His body lay nearly motionless except for the shivering and incoherent murmurs of fading consciousness. A new wave of tears threatened to fall as Courtney heaved breaths in an effort to remain in control. Her eyes searched wildly for any sign of help, any sign that maybe the others had come looking for them or maybe they were closer to the plane than she thought. Courtney began to pace like a caged cat, panicked and unsure of what to do with herself.

"Stay calm," Courtney bit her chattering lip, throwing the blanket over him where he lay. She knew it wouldn't do much with his sopping wet clothes, but it was better than nothing. Courtney knew she needed help, so she scanned for the quickest path back to Chris's plane. It wouldn't take her long to find her way back on her own, she wouldn't leave Duncan alone for long. However, in the shadowed darkness of the forest though, she started to dread that way back was unclear. Just when sheer panic overtook her though, she spotted it, standing unassumingly between the trees. An old tool shed, Courtney rejoiced that was undoubtedly Duncan's saving grace. Predictably it was dry, protected and safe to leave him there until she could return with the others.

"I found shelter," she told him as she shook his form to attempt to rouse him. Duncan grumbled a response, but had trouble finding the strength to stir. All he wanted was a moment to rest, but she apparently couldn't understand that. A sudden sting reached his already numb face as she slapped him for the second time that night. He glared angrily at her, but she just smiled as she yanked and tugged at him to stand up again.

It was a struggle, but eventually Courtney managed to drag herself, Duncan and the blanket to the dilapidated shed. Thankfully entering the shed was worlds easier since it help shut by a latch with no lock. Apparently it had been out of use for quite sometime with the missing shingles, cracked side window and peeling red paint. It also smelt funky, for lack of a better description, the kind of dead fish funky and maybe some mold.

The inside was gradually deteriorating too, filled with dirt, spider webs and rot. Stored within was old glass lantern, a wooden box full of tools, a shovel, a greasy old towel, gloves, a ceramic pot, a single shoe and a faded small curtain over the window. The space was cramped, just barely big enough to lay Duncan down on the blanket she'd stretched out first.

Standing to reach the lantern, Courtney gently rubbed the glass to determine if it was usable or not. Not that she had anyway to light it, until she remembered Duncan had a lighter on him. Without hesitation, she began frisking his pockets for the little silver rectangle, finding it relatively quickly. She flicked it open and began to strike it, but no flame would ignite.

Discarding the lighter on the blanket, Courtney instead focused on the still shivering Duncan. Her brain began to work in overtime, for every bit of knowledge on hypothermia she had. This had to be at least the second stage she surmised, and wondered herself if she wasn't in the first. They both needed to be dry and warm, but Courtney decided herself could wait.

Inching a little closer, she found herself rubbing her hands against his cheek, unable to receive or really give any warm from either. With a deep sigh, she went about yanking his shirts off with some effort as they clung stubbornly to his form. She flopped clumsily to the floor when she'd finally tugged his torso free of the garment.

"You really are dead weight," Courtney grunted as she moved to peel his shoes off without untying them. Next were his socks, which squished when they hit the wall as she flung them, "Ugh, your feet really stink. Why am I doing this? I should have a let you freeze."

Despite her claims, she moved on to his jean shorts, her hands lingering over the waistband. This time she did hesitate, some sense of embarrassment crawling up her skin, which at least warmed her. With another steadying breath, she tugged the jeans off, "I didn't really mean it. I would never… well, y'know."

Courtney slung his jeans into the pile of soaked clothing, before turning back to the last article. It took some debate within herself, before she finally resolved to just close her eyes and get it over with. Just as quickly thru the edge of the blanket to allow him some privacy.

A sad smile crept across Courtney's lips as she watched him still shivering as she folded more of the blanket over him. She rubbed it against his skin even though it was dirty, and not perfectly dry either, but it would do in a pinch. "I'm sorry Duncan. I'm sorry about all of this… and I don't hate you, even though you're a real jerk sometimes…"

Shaking her head, she reached for the greasy rag in the tool box to use that to whip the ice crystals from his hair. Clearing her throat of dryness and unwanted tightness, she continued, "No that's not what I want to say either. You… you just really hurt me, and of course I'm mad… and I know you hate me. I don't know what happened… but I still…"

Turning her back, Courtney swiftly used the rag to whip down her own hair. She breathed heavily, coughing and sniffling while attempting to regain some composure. Through the window, the snow was still falling, perhaps even getting heavier by the second. The C.I.T. decided it was now or never to go back out there for help.

"Stay put," she instructed staring at the door, "I'll close the latch so you can't get out, but I'll be right back with help." Moving away, Courtney felt herself caught by a strong hand, unbalancing her attempt to stand.

She gasped, believing that he was unconscious with how unresponsive he'd been. For a while Duncan had been out of it, but her constant yammering, while grating on his nerves had kept him mildly aware. While mostly annoyed, somehow he was also grateful and her words and previous actions became a little clearer. It was probably delirium, but he was pretty sure he'd seen her crying while she softly poured her heart out. The more he thought about it though, he was pretty sure she'd been crying for a while now, even back to when he fell through the ice. He remembered the ice, and that they needed to get back to the plane, but instead Courtney brought them here. No, she dragged him here, because it was all she could do. She'd done everything she knew to do and more, ready to go back out there into the dark.

"Duncan?" Courtney attempted to gently twist her arm free of his icy cold hand. His eyes bore into her soul, speaking to her when his voice was lost to him. She shivered uncontrollably, unsure if it was the cold, his eyes or both.

"I'm not ditching you, I promise." Her eyes didn't waver from his and his look became graver, "You'll get s-sick, babe."

Mechanically, Courtney's hand flew up to her mouth at the use of a pet name, nearly breaking her heart. He must be in bad shape to show such concern and to regress to an affectionate term after everything that happened. Her head was spinning with confusion, wasn't this exactly what she'd longed for, that he'd come around. It had to be the cold talking, he was confused and not himself.

"O-Okay," she conceded, "I'll stay until I know you're okay, and that I'm a little dryer too."

She pulled her legs out from under her to sit across from him one what little blanket there was to spar. She rubbed her arms with her hands, knowing the damp material of her blouse and sweater were doing no good. With a frown she started to work her own layers of clothing off, with a half hearted warning, "Better not try anything funny."

Courtney made quick to undress herself except for her bra and panties which she absolutely forbid herself to take off. She lay everything a neatly as she could to hopefully speed up the drying process. Finally, she resumed her sentry like position to watch over Duncan, tucking her legs up against her chest. Duncan still chattered lightly under his protective cover, but not as much as she was chattering and shivering. She was absolutely radiating cold, but stubborn resolve was keeping her from instinctively crawling under that blanket too. Bronze hands began to furiously run up and down her legs to coax some heat friction back into them. Her voice shuttered a whine of discomfort when she brought her numb fingers up to her cheeks next. Squinting her eyes shut, she didn't notice Duncan stirring from the blanket, until his ice cold hand touched the small of her back.

Naturally Courtney shrieked as she rocketed up from her seat to glare daggers down at the man now supported on his elbows. Those steel colored eyes burned into her being again, and he sternly critiqued her, "You're never going to get warm that way."

"Shh, no talking. You'll waste body heat." Courtney pushed against his shoulder for him to lay back down. A squeak escaped her as he caught her wrist and jerked her down too. Red flared over her face as she fell over his chest, which was a lot warmer than the ice cold ground beneath her.

"What'd I s-say about funny business?" she protested, bracing her arms around him.

"Not being funny," he shrugged, "not while you're freezing to death."

"I can handle myself." she proclaimed through burning eyes.

A wave of cold struck her like a fist as she pried herself away from his warmth. She hugged her body tighter, feeling the darkness of the shed closing in on her. The cracked, dirty window was completely caked in snow, only allowing the softest glow of moonlight to penetrate. Because of it, Courtney didn't see the bitter grimace on Duncan's lips as he spat, "Fine. See if I care."

"But you don't care, do you?" She shot back with pure venom on her tongue. She waited eagerly for his rebuttal, but instead he just found a patch of wall to stare at. There was no use talking to her, she'd find something to lash out at. All they were able to do was argue, it seemed to be their decided fate. Duncan would have been just fine staring at the inside wall, if Courtney hadn't begun crying a new waterfall of tears. He wanted to ignore her, he wanted to comfort her, he wanted to be anywhere but there when she sniveled out, "Why?"

"Why what?" he echoed, unable to face her.

"Why do you hate me?" her lips trembled as she tried to not cry even harder. Duncan hands covered his face, surprising a frustrated sigh that threatened to erupt into anger any moment. Still he was just too damned exhausted to fight with her, and she looked no more up to the challenge herself. Courtney looked so sincere, so lost, but he'd learned in the past that it could change at any moment.

"I don't… I just… it's… never mind," his words grumbled into a low growl, unable to find the right words. Worming himself further under the cover, he opted to shut her out again, but he should have known better. Eyes still brimming with tears, Courtney crawled closer to him, to force him to acknowledge her, "No, you don't get 'never mind'."

"You wouldn't listen…" he started, frowning as deeply as he could, but still she pleaded with her big brown eyes despite it. Her tenacity in this frozen prison was unbreakable. It must have been the fog in his mind but he couldn't seem to find anything to put her off today. Every moment they remained in this confined space, a piece of his own hardened resolve was dissolving. He was going have to talk to her.

"I'll listen," she squeaked quivering horribly, "I can't go anywhere. Even if I don't like what you have to say… I'll try."

A heavy grunt left his throat as he pushed up to be eye level with the girl. Still wary and frustrated, Duncan scooped up one of her wrist, almost to keep her from escaping. Courtney watched his hand, it was hot against her own dark skin, but she couldn't draw away. He chuckled slightly at her, "What's with you being all nice today?"

"Nice? I'm always…" she finished internally that she was always nice to him. So nice that she'd even saved his life and not once had he thanked her, or even apologized for being a great oaf. She found herself needing to resort to shouting how wrong he was, that he'd even dare question her like that. It didn't matter if she said she'd listen, she would answer his challenge of insults any day.

"Thank you." Courtney was shocked back to reality with his abrupt words of gratitude. Again all of that building anger fizzled away again when she caught his endless blue eyes staring deeply into her soul. He'd actually manned up enough to thank her, and it was sincere too. Maybe her own sincerity was catching on, because she really did mean it, she wanted to know why everything had gone so wrong.

"You really pulled through for me, Courtney," her gaze returned to him, softening significantly. Instantly she knew she was starting to blush from the warmth rising in her face. Feebly she tried to look away in hopes to stop the girlish reaction, "Well, yeah. I wasn't about to let you seriously freeze to death. I mean, I would have done it…"

Her sentence was cut short with Duncan placing his index finger against her lips, reminding her that he had the floor, "And I don't hate you."

"Than…" she inquired, her expression full of sadness and hope.

"Don't get me wrong. You still piss me off, and I hate that bossy shit you pull, but I don't hate you. I've seen you be really sweet and amazing, and not to mention damn sexy. But I think that stick is just shoved too far up your ass even for me." Duncan finished with a wry smirk, eyeing the indignant fury in her form, the kind he used to rile up in her when they first met. He was curious to see what kind of outburst she'd have or if she'd keep her trap shut for once. He doubted the later. Any triumphant smile on his face was quickly wiped away when she resorted to the last thing he'd hoped for, and started crying again.

"Geez, what am I supposed to do with you?" he rolled his eyes.

"Sorry," Courtney sniveled and hiccupped, whipping her nose with the back of her hand, "I'm sorry you think I'm too bossy. It's just you're such a big oaf and a mess, I just don't know what else to do."

"I don't need a keeper, I can handle myself Princess."

Duncan caught himself a moment too late on that last phrase and mentally kicked himself. It was quite clear she hadn't missed it either at the soft smile creeping on her up the corner of her. He looked like a child caught stealing a cookie from the jar, more than a delinquent at that point. Courtney nodded to acknowledge before dropping her head down, "I know. I'm sorry."

Seeing her so forlorn, so unlike herself, Duncan finally reached out to her with both hands and yanked her down on top of him. She immediately struggled against his embrace against his bared chest. She stuttered his name but the young man stayed perfectly composed with his familiar sneaky smile, "Now, are you going to share this blanket with me or freeze to death?"

Courtney choked, the prospects of his proposal immediately going head, her blush darkening even more than before. She protested futilely against his iron grip, "I.. I can't. You're still naked under there!"

Lifting the cover up for a moment to examine what he was already well aware of, Duncan returned his gaze to hers and shrugged. She'd been the one to strip him down and now she was pretending to act all shy. Duncan didn't buy it, but he played along anyway, "Naked as the day I was born. So?"

"You can't… be all 'so'… besides, I'm fine." Courtney lied.

"Whatever. Listen, if you've got a problem with me being naked," abruptly he snapped her bra strap against her back, causing her to squeal out.

"Okay!" she finally conceded. Duncan released her only to pull the blanket back in a welcoming gesture. Of course, she screwed her eyes shut as she wiggled her way next to him with just the slightest gap between them. Courtney couldn't suppress her contented sigh as warmth started to blanket every inch of her. She jumped a little when Duncan put his arm over her stomach, but didn't try to pull her any closer. They lay is comfortable silence for several minutes before she finally stated, "You still like me."

"Hey, I just said I don't hate you." he defended, half heartedly. Courtney was thoughtful about that for a while before she smiled to herself, "I'm okay with that… for now."

All was right with the world. She was safe, warm and with the one she loved. Courtney felt she could stay like this forever, in his arms with him softly speaking her name. She stirred slightly when her name was called a second time. There was no need for him to call her name, because she was right there with him, but still he persisted in that high voice. High voice? The fog in her tired mind became a little clearer when she realized that the voice calling her name sounded very little like Duncan. It was alarmingly clear that it wasn't Duncan when a grating deep female's shattered her dream state and sent her bolt upright.

Gasping at the sudden shock of cold and awareness, Courtney quickly realized she was still in the little tool shed, half naked, alone with Duncan… and now the Calvary decided to show up. In concert she heard each of her team members and Duncan's team calling to them in the darkness. She leaned back to stir Duncan with her welcomed, yet unwelcome news to realize he was no longer laying next to her. She looked to her other side just in time to see her blouse flop over her face.

Duncan was nearly dressed again, when he saw that Courtney had heard the others approach in search of them. He wasted no time and offered little explanation as he chucked her garments towards her. Equally in haste, she worked to pull her own things back on, seething as cold fabric touched her skin. He was down to his last sneaker as he growled lowly to her, "Hurry up!"

"I'm trying," she gritted her teeth in anger at his barking orders. Seeing that her olive capris were nearly on her hips, Duncan quickly stood to grab her shoulders, "Everything is the same between us, got it? Nothing happened here!"

"R-right," she searched his eyes, confusing and sorrow welling up again. She heard Alejandro's call of her name instead of Duncan's and a slight twinge of annoyance, form on his lips, she nodded firmly, "Right."

"This damned show is a big enough headache already." he grimaced looking at the door, his brain readying for the torrent of questions and assumptions that would come regardless of the truth or not. Duncan returned to Courtney to be sure she was ready for the worst too only to turn straight into a kiss. She help his face with her hands and the kiss lingered for only a brief while. He was shocked and a little offended, but she didn't give him the time before she lightly slapped him on the cheek, and frowned, "Nothing happened."

A moment later she had burst out the door, screaming hysterically towards her fellow Amazons, "What took you so long to notice I was missing?"

Her tirade went on about Duncan falling through the ice and how she had to rescue him. The story was edited and exaggerated in the places it best suit Courtney while Cody and Sierra did their best to console her. Owen and Alejandro went to the shed to retrieve Duncan, who in turn gripped, albeit less loudly, about being stuck with the nurse from hell. He was silent as they all returned to the plane, especially since Owen took it upon himself to carry his "wounded" teammate back. The round Canadian quickly speed past the girls team with his indignant patient. Duncan dared a glance at Courtney who didn't seem to notice, or she was just pretending rather well. He sighed inwardly, wondering what he would ever do about that girl.


End file.
